MY REVIEW OF SMART BRO PLUG IT

Smart BRO PREPAID PLUG IT, the Smart Bro broadband internet service that allows you to surf the net anywhere there’s a PC! Absolutely no Monthly Service Fee since it’s prepaid on pre paid or 1500 unlimited or 799 for 80 hours!

Also read my review here of the SMART BRO SHARE IT Router for 5 persons unlimited internet SMART Bro Share It Internet now Unlimited

The Smart BRO USB modem is a small, palm-sized device that you can carry with you wherever you go. And anytime you need to surf, just plug it into the USB port of your PC, and you’ll get connected in a flash. Broadband Internet use is P10 for every 30 minutes.

SmartBro Share It was first introduced last March 2009. It used to be available for Php999 a month with a 90-hour free allocation. Smart has now moved this offer to “unlimited”.

Speed : Up to 2 Mbps
No. of Hours use : *UNLIMITED good for up to 5 PCs
Connection : Wireless Connection (Via Wifi Router)
Requirements : Subscriber [...]

A review can be found here and it includes some speed tests results at his location http://racoma.com.ph/archives/smart-bro-plugit-prepaid-kit-review

One commentor said: I honestly think it is a waste of money. Since you already have a 3G-enabled phone, you could have just bought a USB cord that will connect your phone to your PC, then browse the Internet using your phone as modem. That way, your phone’s battery won’t be drained while you’re surfing the net. And by the way, the speed of this method as compared to your use of the USB kit from Smart is the same.

The default SIM for the prepaid kit blocks VPN ports and other non-standard ports for that matter. my workaround is this, i purchase a new prepaid smart sim (standard type, 40php ea.) and reconfigure the software of the dongle to use the APN “internet” instead of the APN “SMARTBRO” so far, using this setup lets me connect to our office VPN (PPTP and L2LP/IPSEC)

you could also check if your area is 3G ready. You can call and ask Smart’s customer service. you can check this vid for ref.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO0NkccUhsc

Another reviewer said: So far, so good. It’s been a reliable mobile connection for me, for those times I need to connect while out of the office, or when my home-office connection is simply too slow.

I do get slow speeds when the cell site I’m connected to has non-existent or weak HSDPA signals. With this, it tops at 300+ Kbps. Where there are no 3G signals, it tops at 200+ Kbps (EDGE) or 56 Kbps (GPRS). It sucks, but when it’s your only option you will take it. So far I’m able to access most services and ports I need, including instant messengers, FTP, cPanel and the like, where previously these wireless networks imposed some prohibitions with non-HTTP ports.

The provided software was a breeze to install. The USB modem itself has read-only storage, so the drivers for Windows and OS X (Tiger and Leopard) are included. You may have to download drivers and do some tweaks for Linux, though.

You can always just dialup using your OS’s dialer, but the bundled software gives you more options, like the ability to detect what kind of signal you are currently getting, and the ability to lock connection to certain types only (the connection moves across HSDPA, 3G, GPRS, and EDGE depending on signal strength and availability)

And finally this reviewer said

But now that I have the SMART BRO USB, I am thinking and most likely will have my other connection cancelled. Why? For one thing, this new SMART BRO Plan 1500 is also unlimited. In addition, it is much faster than my regular SMART BRO fixed line and goes as fast as 2Mbps [ usually during the wee hours of the morning which happens to be my usual work schedule]. And best of all, it is NATIONWIDE! In fact, I have already seen and tested it work in far flung islands of the Philippines like Palawan and Mindanao and it works! Now imagine that — it actually works much better than PLDT’s wireless WeRoam. Makes me wonder what’s the difference considering that they are sister companies and both use both networks in a similar fashion? Perhaps they have certain bandwith allocation setup in place? I don’t know for sure. All I know is that I can bring this anywhere that has a mobile phone signal of SMART and I can easily access my email. The full comments from this reviewer is here http://midnightpencil.wordpress.com/2009/08/12/smart-bro-unplugged/#comment-13

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LongCheer WM66 is the modem sold with the SMART Bro pre-paid kit. It is locked to SMART. You can get the SUN or Globe modem which is and get it unlocked on SULIT and then use it with SMART as well as it has a plug in for an antenna which would definitely increase your signal if placed near a window or buy the antenna panel from the link below which will plug into the plug it from SUN.

SUN uses the HUAWEI E160 and it has a connection on side for an external antenna which is nice. You can get unlocked at http://www.sulit.com.ph/ just type SUN unlock and you will get the instructions how to load the sign it details for SUN, SMART or Globe after it is unlocked. I have tested the service and it works.

Learn more about unlocking here

http://www.philmug.ph/forum/showpost.php?s=7195cc97e2ec44e1b947dc14c568bcfb&p=646344&postcount=1

You can get an external antenna plug and antenna panel here

angel_teddy8 for yahoo instant messenger to contact for router YM

roughclaw YM http://roughclaw.com/Products--and--Services.php
RCA-RFC001-01 (Top)
RCA-PDA002-08

USB extension and booster needed to extend the connection out the window

USB 2.0 Extension Cable with Signal/Data Booster (EF-0005F)

Php 250.00

USB extension cables at CDRKing under cable accessories usb http://www.cdrking.com/

You can use this router below for the USB plug it to use it as a router too

Aztech HW550-3G http://www.aztech.com/prod_3g_hw550.html

http://www.onecommerce.com.ph/home-red.html is the seller in the Philippines about 3,800 pesos N router with speeds up to 300 kbps wireless in contrast to 52 kbps on G. Full speed in the router LAN connections in the back 4 port

Another 3G router 3G Mobile WiFi Router: D-Link DIR-451

There is some note online that the Modem for some users is now white Smart bro prepaid kit has now improved. It also has the same design(hardware) – white with smartbro logo – and it also has a space for micro-sd. What I’m checking now is what’s cheaper in connectio

Disadvantages of the SMART BRO plug it

1. It has no external plug for antenna

2. It charges by 30 minute blocks for 10 pesos but if you use only 10 minutes you sill pay 30 minutes and it does not carry over to next session except in rare cases of time based complicated formula. So if you sign in again after the formula passes (not 30 minute window) you have to pay again for another 30 minutes.

3. Billing sign up for the unlimited 1500 plug it post paid is way to complicated and I continue to insist that SMART could save staff time and stop wasting customer time by issuing the plug it immediately like they do on the pre paid/ They can easily cut anyone off that doesn't pay in fact the computer could even do it automatically.

4. 2 year lock in contracts are way too long for such a service! And why don't they allow customers a trial period before lockin so customers can test the speed and satisfaction with the service rather than causing later customer dissatisfaction everywhere and clogging customer service centers with concerns, wasting staff resources and erroding stock profits as a result.

5. If you use the per minute charges you load expires in a few days while if you use the 30 minute charges (and loose a lot) you get two months. You should get 2 months regardless! They cheat you by reducing the period when you use per minute charges.

What I like about it

1. Nationwide rather than province wide like the crippled share it product.

2. Per minute charging but much to complicated to avail and keep track of balance in per minute use.

Read the Digital Robbery blog here about disappearing minutes on SMART BRO plug it or my review of disappearing minutes in one of the sections of this blog

http://thepinoy.net/?p=3518